Are you cleaning and descaling your coffee machine regularly? This is important because doing so will allow you to experience great tasting coffee all the time. Without it, limescale and other contaminants will start building up, which can affect the coffee taste every time you make one.
Cleaning vs. Descaling a Coffee Maker: What’s the Difference?
To help get the best possible brew, it’s important to clean your coffee maker daily as well as descale it periodically.
Daily cleaning helps you keep up with coffee splashes, oils and other residues that are easily removed with a quick rinse or soapy water.
Descaling removes limescale build up in your coffee machine from calcium, magnesium and other minerals that come from your water. The descaling process can include cleaning with vinegar or specialized descaling tablets. Source: KitchenAid
Signs Your Coffee Machine Needs Descaling
How do you know when commercial coffee machines require maintenance?
- Limescale in your coffee
This is the easiest way you can tell if there has been too much of a build-up of limescale, as you’ll see some lightly colored deposits floating in your drink.
- The machine is taking too long
Is it taking ages for your cup of coffee to be ready in the morning? This could mean that there has been a build-up of limescale in your coffee machine that you need to clean to get it running at optimal performance levels.
- The cleaning light is on
In some cases, a warning that coffee machine maintenance is required is simple. Some models of coffee machines have an in-built alert, where a light comes on if it is time to clean up the limescale inside the machine.
- Unusual noises
Another sign that you need to clean your coffee machine is that there are gurgling sounds and other unusual noises coming out of the machine during the brew cycle! Source: Cuco Coffee
How To Remove Limescale from a Coffee Machine
There are a few ways to clean limescale from your coffee machine, however please check the instructions of your individual machine before cleaning limescale.
- Using citric acid
Citric acid is an effective alternative to vinegar cleaning solutions and can be used to descale a coffee machine. Dissolve a tablespoon of citric acid in a cup of water and run the coffee machine through a brew cycle. Rinse the machine with clean water to ensure all the citric acid is gone.
- Using commercial descaling solutions
There are many commercial descaling solutions available that are specifically designed for coffee machines such as household limescale remover. Follow the specific instructions on the product label for the proper amount of solution to use and how long to let it sit in the machine. Source: Café Du Monde
Make sure to try this type of cleaning method for your coffee machine and experience how much the taste of your coffee has improved. If ever your machine requires an even deeper cleaning and maintenance, you can rely on professionals like us to do the job. Get in touch with us today!